Striking device

ABSTRACT

A striking device for use in different kinds of fighting arts such as karate and boxing is disclosed. The device comprises an outer sack and an inner sack with a stuffing made of natural or synthetic particulate rubber. The construction of the sack renders it resistant to hard and quick hits and to repeated folding, thus extending the life of the striking device. Embodiments having different shapes and stuffing consistency are disclosed enabling training for a range of martial arts hits and strikes.

This application is a 371 of international application, PCT/GB93/00013filed Oct. 14, 1993.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns striking devices and in particular akarate-and-boxing sack which is intended for the training of variousmartial arts and fighting techniquess.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A boxing sack comprising an outer sack of synthetic material and aninner sack with stuffing is known. The upper part of the inner sack isturned inwards in such a way that a cavity is formed in which a metalhoop is placed. The outer sack is slotted above the hoop and a wire ropepasses through the slots, ends in a ring and is fixed to a support.

The disadvantages of the known sacks are as follows:

Limited applicability resulting from the lack of means for lifting andlowering and large deflection of the sack after being hit. Lack of apossibility of using the sack for lower-limb training, largedeformations of the sack during hitting and short life due to thefriction between the wire rope and the outer sack.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The purpose of the present invention is the creation of akarate-and-boxing sack characterized by a long life, small deformation,widened applicability, various sizes and shapes, increased weight,rigidness similar to that of the human body, capability for verticaldisplacement and reliable suspension.

These and other problems are solved in accordance with the presentinvention by means of a karate-and-boxing sack made of syntheticmaterial in which an inner sack with stuffing is placed.

At its upper end the outer sack is turned inwards in such a way that acavity is formed in which a metal hood is placed. According to theinvention the outer sack is made of a synthetic material on polymerbasis having tensile strength values of 2000-7000 N in longitudinaldirection and 1500-5500 N in transversal direction.

The stuffing of the inner sack is foreseen to be on the basis of naturaland/or synthetic rubber. Elastic duprene elements and rubber elementsproduced through the recycling of car tires are used in a preferredembodiment.

An additional layer of felt is foreseen between the outer and innersacks. A cover fixedly connected to the inner surface of the outer sackis placed on the upper side of the inner sack. The outer sack is slottedabove the hoop and straps through which a flexible element passes, aremounted to the hoop in the formed slots; the ends of said flexibleelement pass through a yoke and a roll mounted with displacement at adistance from the axis of the karate-and-boxing sack. At the lower outerside, of the outer sack, a ring is mounted through which anotherflexible element connected to a support passes.

In another optional embodiment of karate-and-boxing sack the ends of theflexible element are fixed rigidly to supports mounted laterallyregarding the axis of the karate-and-boxing sack making an angle a.

In a third optional embodiment of the invention the karate-and-boxingsack is arranged horizontally and the outer sack is closed at bothsides. On the upper part of the outer sack rings are mounted throughwhich flexible elements, suspended rigidly to supports, pass.

In a fourth optional embodiment of the invention the two sacks have apear-shaped form and the outer sack is closed at both sides. On theupper and lower parts of the outer sack rings are foreseen, throughwhich flexible elements pass; the ends of said elements being fixedlyconnected to supports.

The advantages of the karate-and-boxing sack are as follows:

Long life of the karate-and-boxing sack resulting from the use of asynthetic material for the outer sack with high strength values,resistant to strong hits and multifold bending, the reliable suspensionand minimal deflection when hit, the small deformability of the sackbecause of the stuffing. Possibility of training kicks, stableconnection of the flexible element to the hoop with the help of strapswhich eliminates the friction between the flexible element, the hoop andthe outer sack. Possibility of changing the shape and weight of thesack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Possible embodiments are shown in the applied figures where:

FIG. 1 illustrates a striking device in accordance with a specificembodiment of the present invention in a vertical cross-section.

FIG. 2 illustrates in a vertical cross-section another embodiment of astriking device in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a striking device in accordancewith the present invention which is arranged horizontally.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention in whichthe striking device has a pear-shaped form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The karate-and-boxing sack consists of an outer sack 1 made ofsynthetical material on polymer basis having tensile strength values of2000-7000 N in longitudinal direction and 1500-5500 N in transversedirection, with folding resistance 50,000 to 90,000 times, in said sackan inner sack 3 filled with elements on the basis of natural and/orsynthetic rubber 4 being placed. It is preferred to use elastic dupreneelements and rubber elements produced through the recycling of cartires.

An additional layer 2 is foreseen between the outer sack 1 and the innersack 3. A cover 6 fixedly connected to the inner surface of the outersack 1, is placed on the upper part of the inner sack 3.

The outer sack 1 is slotted above the hoop 8 and planks 9, through whicha flexible element 10 passes, are mounted in the formed slots to thehoop 8; the ends of the flexible element passing through a yoke 11 and aroll mounted with displacement at a distance regarding the axis of thekarate-and-boxing sack and being fixed to a support 12. On the lowerouter part of the outer sack 1 a ring 13 is mounted through whichanother flexible element 14 connected with support 15, passes.

In a second optional embodiment shown in FIG. 2 the ends of the flexibleelement 10 are rigidly connected to supports 17 mounted laterallyregarding the axis of the karate-and-boxing sack making an angle a.

In a third optional embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 3 thekarate-and-boxing sack is arranged horizontally and the outer sack 1 isclosed at both sides. On the upper part of the outer sack 1 rings 18 aremounted through which flexible elements 19 suspended rigidly to supports20 pass. In a fourth optional embodiment of the invention shown in FIG.4 the two sacks have a pear-shaped form and the outer sack 1 is closedat both sides. On the upper and lower parts of the outer sack 1, rings21 and 23 are foreseen through which flexible elements 22 pass; the endsof said elements being fixedly connected to supports 24 and 25.

The operation of the karate-and-boxing sack is as follows:

When training high and low hits, using the flexible-element 10 the sackis adjusted at the desired height; the flexible elements 10 and 14 beinglengthened or shortened and the sack being fixed to the supports 12 and15. When the sack is fixed in this way to the supports strong and fasthits are performed and a rigidness similar to that of the human body isimitated due to the stuffing. In the second optional embodiment therotation of the sack round its axis is eliminated through thesuspension. The sack of pear-shaped form is used for high, fast andprecise hits. With the horizontally arranged sack series of specifichits are performed. The various forms and suspensions of the sack enabledifferent groups of hits to be trained under conditions similar to thosein real situations.

What is claimed is:
 1. A striking device comprising: an outer sackhaving an upper part and a lower part, the upper part of the outer sackbeing folded and turned inwards to form a cavity for mounting a hooptherein and being cut to form at least two slots; a hoop being mountedin said cavity; an inner sack placed in said outer sack; stuffing tofill said inner sack, said stuffing comprising particulate rubber; anadditional layer of material positioned between the outer sack and theinner sack, wherein the additional layer is made of felt; and means forattaching the device to at least one support.
 2. A striking device inaccordance with claim 1 wherein said means for attaching comprises: aroll for suspending the striking device from an upper support;suspension elements attached to the hoop through said of at least twoslots, and a flexible connector having a first end and a second end,said first end being attached to said suspension elements, saidconnector passing through the roll so that pulling the second end of theconnector causes the position of the striking device to change withrespect to the upper support.
 3. A karate-and-boxing sack in accordancewith claim 1 characterized by the fact that the ends of the flexibleelement are mounted laterally regarding the axis of thekarate-and-boxing sack making an angle a and are rigidly connected tosupports.
 4. A striking device in accordance with claim 2 wherein saidmeans for attaching further comprises a fastener mounted on the lowerpart of the outer sack and a flexible element passing through saidfastener for attaching the striking bag to a lower-end support.
 5. Astriking device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said stuffingcomprises elastic duprene elements.
 6. A striking device according toclaim 4 wherein the striking device when suspended from said uppersupport defines an axis, and said means for attaching further comprisesa first anchor element fixed to the lower support at a placesubstantially near the axis of the striking device; a second anchorelement fixed to a side support and a roll placed away from the verticalaxis, wherein said flexible element is attached to said first and secondanchor elements and passes through said roll, so that when the secondend of the connector is pulled the axis of the striking devices deviatesfrom the vertical direction.
 7. A striking device according to claim 1wherein said particulate rubber is synthetic rubber.
 8. A striking bagaccording to claim 1 wherein said particulate rubber is natural rubber.9. A striking bag according to claim 1 wherein the rubber stuffing ismade of recycled car tires.
 10. The striking bag of claim 1 wherein theouter sack is made of synthetic material having tensile strength valuesof 2000-7000 N (62-84 MPa) in longitudinal direction and 1500 to 5500 N(60-80 MPa) in transversal direction, and folding resistance ofapproximately 50,000 to 90,000 times.
 11. The striking bag of claim 1wherein said stuffing has rigidness similar to that of the human body.